[850] – Y03.150 – Homeward

[850] – Y03.150 – Homeward

‘That should be good enough,’ Adam thought. ‘Kitool’s an Executive, and Vonda is a Ray, so that’s enough respect from our end. They’d better understand we’re being nice by offering them such fine stuff.’

Adam was still uncertain if the items they had sent over were considered decent, but after stressing about it for a short while, which was already too long to stress about nobles, he let out a soft sigh, allowing the stress to escape him. ‘No need to worry about nobles.’

He was glad they had moved from the expensive inn to another inn, one which was still fine enough for the children and the others, but also didn’t lighten the pouch too much. Jurot stepped into the inn, noting the glances towards him, before he approached Adam.

“What time do you call this?” Adam asked. “I’ve been worried sick.”

“It is early evening,” Jurot replied, sitting opposite his brother.

“Where were you?” Adam asked, his eyes sparkling mischievously.

“I walked with Pam.”

“You just walked?”

Jurot nodded.

“What a gentleman.”

Jurot narrowed his eyes slightly. “You have a new sword?”

“That’s right,” Adam said, placing the sword onto the table. “It’s dwarven made.”

“Yes,” Jurot replied. “Did Thundersmith gift it to you?”

“How did you know?”

“You had not received a reward from him.”

“It has been a few years...” Adam thought. ‘Four years now?’

Jurot eyed up the wood, feeling how smooth it was to the touch. “It is good wood. The woodwork is dwarven too.”

“I didn’t realise he was so good at woodworking.”

“It was not Thundersmith. This work was done by a dwarf who is a master at woodworking.”

“How can you tell?”

“I cannot sense any imperfections. Thundersmith’s abilities with wood are similar to my own, but this is greater.”

“High praise.”

Jurot nodded, his eyes taking in the sight of the sword’s colour, before holding out the blade, feeling how heavy it was. “Will you use a sword?”

“How can you tease me like this?” Adam asked. “Aren’t I your brother? I should use a sword and shield.”

“Axe and shield?”

“That’s what I meant,” Adam replied, his lips working quicker than his mind. “Even if swords are more romantic.”

‘Seriously...’ Adam exchanged a glance towards Jurot, who nodded, and Jaygak and Kitool stepped beside Lucy and Mara.

“Do you intend to protect the demons?” the Vice Commander asked the Hope.

Hope Willow fell silent for a long moment. She inhaled deeply. “Your Grand Commander tried to deal with the situation. He failed.”

“...”

“...”

The Vice Commander narrowed his eyes towards the Hope. He had received word of demons passing through and that he should do his best to deal with the situation.

‘What do you expect me to do against a Hope?’ “What if I press the issue?”

“I have no doubt that you could press the issue, but you have other matters you should prioritise,” the Hope replied. “The land has only begun recovering from the death which was wrought by the civil war. Let us wait to heal before you must draw your blade again.”

“They are demons, Hope.”

“They are within the care of a Ray.”

‘Grand Commander...’

‘Damn, having a Hope accompany us is like having a cheat code,’ Adam thought. ‘Iyrmen, Hope, Rays, and even members of Black Mountain...’

Adam decided against summoning a tower that evening, not wanting to give the soldiers or the order any reason to pick a fight. Adam also spotted a road currently being dug out towards the south west.

“They are creating another outpost to the south,” Jurot said. “They will create this one first and prepare to create the southern outpost a day’s journey south.”

“Why are they making another outpost to the south?”

Jurot glanced around. He switched to their tongue as he spoke. “It is where the Tribesfolk we met make their home.”

Adam slowly nodded his head. ‘They must have found out about them, eh? That sucks for the Tribesfolk. I hope they’ll be fine.’

It was the next day when they approached the village, noting another one hundred soldiers within the village. Adam left the Hope to deal with them, keeping to himself.

‘Almost...’

Lucy and Mara also kept a low profile, with Kitool and Jaygak remaining beside them.

‘Another outpost?’ Jurot thought. He made a mental map of the area, realising there were going to be three forts so close to the border of the Iyr.

“I heard the soldiers say they’re making a few forts all about,” a villager said, having sold off some grain wine to the Iyrmen. “One north of the next village over, one north of ours, and apparently one south of Eagle Wing too. They say they’re making a few more along the road of from the towns, like those near Hill Grave.”

‘So many forts?’ Jurot thought. It would mean just a few days away from the Iyr, there were at least five forts, something which hadn’t been seen in generations. ‘Is he planning to tame the land of Tribesfolk? Or...’

The only Tribesfolk near the Iyr were those far to the north, those a few days south from them, and those to the east, deep within the forest, towards Deadwood. However, the amount of forts the King had begun to build...

‘You will need more than five forts for the Iyr,’ Lucy thought. ‘I thought the King was meant to be a military genius?’

Only five?